Safety is among one of the greatest concerns to people who participate in motorcycling, bicycling, skateboarding, dirt biking, and any other sports, which may require protective gear to be worn by riders. This is especially true given the proximity of riders on or around busy roads and highways. The wearing of a safety helmet while participating in these activities is an important safety measure taken by riders to reduce the risk of injury in the event of an accident.
Motorcycle and bicycle helmets are well-known means of protection worn by riders to protect head during collisions. Helmets have been improved to conform better to the rider's head and provide a greater degree of protection.
However, there exists a need for additional measures to be taken to prevent accidents from occurring in the first place. It is also important that any preventative measure not take away the effectiveness and functionality of the protective mechanism.
For example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,327,587 to Marni Hurwitz entitled “Illuminated Safety Helmet” discloses a battery-powered electroluminescent strip adhered to the top exterior surface of the helmet.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,186,429 to Walter Johnson entitled “Flashing Light Safety Device for Cyclists Helmets” discloses a flashing light mounted atop a cyclists' helmet to provide 360 degrees of visibility.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,327,588 to Louis Garneau entitled “Safety Helmet for Cyclists” discloses a streamlined, aerodynamically contoured safety helmet with light device anchored into an external shell cavity located in the lower end portion of the helmet.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,464,369 to Mario Vega entitled “Helmet with Safety Light” discloses a helmet with a safety light disposed within a cavity on the back exterior portion of the helmet's shell.
However when a light is affixed to a safety helmet, problems often encountered include a compromise of the existing aerodynamics, aesthetics, or safety functionality of the helmet. An external light may add bulkiness, which may compromise aerodynamic efficiency, rider comfort and overall aesthetics. More notably, the addition of a light may reduce the effectiveness of the helmet in preventing head injury. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,186,429 features a light affixed to the top of the helmet with an elevated position giving the rider visibility in all directions. However, there is the possibility that in the event of a collision wherein the top of the helmet is the first point to contact the pavement, another vehicle, or some other fixed object, the light fixture will be forced upon impact through the top portion of the helmet shell thereby harming the rider. Additionally, the elevated position of the light on top of the helmet could affect secondary considerations such as aerodynamic qualities and aesthetic appearance of the helmet.
While these units may be suitable for the particular purpose employed, or for general use, they would not be as suitable for the purposes of the present disclosure as disclosed hereafter.
In the present disclosure, where a document, act or item of knowledge is referred to or discussed, this reference or discussion is not an admission that the document, act or item of knowledge or any combination thereof was at the priority date, publicly available, known to the public, part of common general knowledge or otherwise constitutes prior art under the applicable statutory provisions; or is known to be relevant to an attempt to solve any problem with which the present disclosure is concerned.
While certain aspects of conventional technologies have been discussed to facilitate the present disclosure, no technical aspects are disclaimed and it is contemplated that the claims may encompass one or more of the conventional technical aspects discussed herein.